Flush of Hearts
by BeatrixMachina
Summary: Val tries to befriend the shy and lonely Chiffon. Dual Hearts.


**Flush of Hearts**

It was the first time she'd seen Chiffon smile. Ever since they met the girl looked so depressed Val feared she'd try to hurt herself. Chiffon wasn't the only person that changed. Val could tell, behind Rumble's harsh words was a softness that wasn't there before. Hell, even she felt a bit lighter.

Chiffon gingerly pattered down the steps, a small smile decorated her face. "Good morning..."

Val grinned encouragingly, "Good morning, Lady Chiffon!" Her eyes moved from the girl's pitch black hair framing her face to the shallow blush on her cheeks to the fullness of her lips. "If you don't mind my saying, you're quite pretty this fine morning." Val blanched inwardly, she sounded like some old guy.

The compliment didn't seem to hurt because the blush on her face deepened to a rosy red. "Th—thank you." She stepped outside with a new gust in her step.

Val wouldn't see her again until later that evening.

Despite the good start earlier that day, she couldn't help but worry that something might have happened. "I'm going on break," she called as she took off her vest in the personnel's office. Thirty minutes should be more than enough to snoop around a bit, she reasoned, discarding her disguise and fastening on her usual accessories. She slipped out the back door, narrowly avoided running into Rumble and his weird pig-dog pet and escaped up the small hill on the coast. Escaping Rumble's range of detection wasn't at all a hard thing to do, much to her chagrin he ignored her under normal circumstances anyway. She even cut her hair a few inches the day before and he didn't bat an eyelash.

She could make out a silhouette on the far side of the overpass as she crossed the rickety wooden bridge. She had to admit, she'd done a good bit of snooping around mostly out of curiosity. Because of that, she knew most everyone's favorite hang-out spots and right now that certainly came in handy.

Chiffon stood in her usual spot, watching the sun set with her hands resting on her bosom. The sad expression that usually accompanied her was not there today, lifting the invisible weight off Val's chest. Chiffon's sudden glance in her direction piled the weight back on.

Val froze; neither of them spoke a word, but her mind was racing. 'What if she thinks I'm following her? What if she thinks I'm a stalker? What if she-'

"Do I...know you?"

The seasoned treasure hunter blinked at the seemingly out-of-place question. Then she remembered: Chiffon never met Val. Chiffon only knew the girl from the inn. Breathing a sigh of relief, Val grinned, albeit nervously, "Nope!"

Chiffon's eyes fell to the ground, a strange emotion emitting from her troubled features.

Val frowned. Was that not the right answer? Shaking her head, she resolved to lighten the mood. "Now's a good a time to meet as any! My name is Val," she hoped being friendly would lift the girl's spirits a bit, or at least get her to open up a little. It seemed to have the opposite effect.

"Oh...I'm...Chiffon," her speech sounded so stifled it hurt.

Maybe it was her flashy appearance, brash tone, or generally beautiful spirit, but something was pushing Chiffon's buttons the wrong way and it made Val anxious. Despite her appearing independent, she actually hated when others disliked her. She smoothed out her voice a bit, "Umm, is there something wrong?"

Chiffon looked away briefly, as if deeply contemplating her answer. "Yes."

Quite frankly the reaction shocked her. Val rang her hands together, maintaining her gentlest smile, "Penny for your thoughts?"

The smaller girl hesitated, twirling a long rope of brown hair between her fingers. Finally she bit her lip and said, "Why are you...d—disguising yourself? Are you...hiding?"

Val stared, dumbfounded.

Did she figure it out?

"I—I'm not hiding or anything. I'm not anyone suspicious!" she was waving her arms frantically now as Chiffon stepped back a bit with a weary expression. Val threw her arms open, "Ok, maybe I am a little! It's a secret, ok? Promise not to tell anyone!"

Chiffon frowned but nodded.

Val sighed; if Rumble knew there was a spy in his midst there would be trouble. Not that he was keen on noticing her. She straightened out, now feeling much more at ease. Establishing contact was the most important part in a relationship, she reassured herself. Now brimming with confidence, she faced the rumbling sea, pulling some stray hairs out of her face, "How did you figure it out?"

"Um..." Chiffon was twiddling her thumbs, "I've seen you before, actually..."

Double shock. Val felt a bead of sweat trickle down her face, "Am I that bad at hiding..."

"Oh no!" the dark-haired girl fumbled for the right words. She stared down her dress, a flush staining her pale cheeks, "It's just...you... both you and... the girl at the inn... You cut your hair."

Triple shock!

Val stood speechless with her mouth gaping wide open. "You! Me!" she pointed to Chiffon, then to herself in a state of confusion before flushing red as a freshly cut ruby. Though she quickly composed herself, her heart still beat wildly. Stop it, stop it, she chided inwardly. Brandishing a flashy smile, she flipped another blond lock of hair behind her tall collar, "How observant of you. You're a sharp girl."

Chiffon giggled for the first time that day, her surprisingly cheerful laugh brought butterflies to her stomach.

"W—well," Val turned sharply. "I—I need to get going!" If she stayed any longer, her heart would _explode_.


End file.
